THE North Road Shops in Darlington were the town's biggest employer and for more than 100 years they built and maintained the nation's steam locomotives. By on April 2, 1966 – 50 years ago – the shops closed, changing the town quite profoundly. Here are some pictures of the shops at work. Next week, we look at the extraordinary protests against closure that galvanised a whole town but couldn't change the outcome. If you have any information concerning these pictures, or you recognise any faces, please let us know.
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